Just Cleats

Okay, silly title, but I thought that after talking about DS#1 and DS#3 in my last post I should talk about DS#2 and DD today. Here they are gearing up for soccer practice tonight. As luck would have it, they are putting their cleats on side by side (okay, as close as they'll get) on the bottom step so that my dear wife could take pictures.

Sometimes I think that it is strange how we became a "soccer family" but I think it really does come down from the younger kids going to so many soccer games for the older. I remember once being concerned that DS#2 wouldn't go into soccer because his brother played, well that went by. Just days ago (okay, maybe hours) I was concerned that DD didn't have the dedication needed to play at the level she said she wanted to play.

I also think about the fact that just yesterday (okay, about 8-9 years ago) I told my wife not to let me force my kids into a sport (swimming) just because that is what *I* did when I was a kid. Coaching swimming and seeing children forced into a sport by their parents was an eye-opener for me. My dear wife and I have agreed that we want the children to participate in sports, or something physical and active, but that we'll let them choose the sport/activity. Last year DD chose gymnastics and dance, this year, well, this year is different, she has chosen soccer this year and it is rather convincing that she wants to play soccer right now.

DD and DS#2 still have a lot of sports and activities to choose from. We will do our best to keep all of their options open. They are young and can easily change their minds so we have to both encourage them in whatever they choose and still keep other opportunities open in the future.